Staying at Clippesby Hall, Norfolk – campsite review

Sometimes we stumble upon a campsite that makes us wonder how it’s not fully booked every single day of the year! Clippesby Hall in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk is a total gem, with well-equipped pitches for campervans and motorhomes and extensive facilities just a short walk away no matter where you park up. To top it off, the tranquil surroundings make for a perfect night’s sleep and ensure you’ll want to book again before you’ve even left! We took our high roof VW Transporter up to Clippesby and stayed for 9 days in early January. As our stay coincided with a chilly week in Winter, most days it felt like we had the place all to ourselves! Read on to find out why Clippesby Hall is the perfect camping getaway in Norfolk.

Location

Situated in the tiny village of Clippesby, Clippesby Hall campsite is just a 20 minute drive from the resort town of Great Yarmouth and a 25 drive from Norwich. Despite being in between a bustling seaside destination and a city, Clippesby Hall is a true haven away from all the noise. There are over 120 pitches across the sprawling site, with grass or all weather pitch options. We were surprised to find our all season pitch was fully serviced at no extra charge, with a freshwater tap, electric hook up and grey waste disposal.

The campsite is sheltered by trees all around the perimeter, making it feel private and secluded. At night we heard nothing but the sound of wildlife around us – the occasional hooting owl or wind through the trees – while in the daytime we loved watching rabbits hopping from pitch to pitch, or pheasants scratching and strutting their way around the site. The campsite is open all year round, so you can enjoy all Clippesby Hall has to offer no matter the time of year! They also provide stays in 4 glamping lodges, a shepherd’s hut, and 3 holiday cottages if you’re looking to get away with friends who don’t own a home on wheels!

Our arrival and pitch

Clippesby Hall is well signposted from the road, with a large sign indicating where to turn in. We drove down the country lane, past the large cabin-style glamping lodges on our right, and turned into what Clippesby Hall calls ‘Basecamp’ on the right, where another large sign and flags let you know you’re in the right place. Check-in at Clippesby Hall campsite is from 12.30pm, and there is a small car park to pull into on the righthand side while you check in at reception in the building on the left. The receptionist was very friendly and provided us a detailed map of the site, which made us aware of just how spacious it is, and also pointed out how to get to our allocated pitch just a short drive up the track.

We chose to stay in the ‘Rabbits Grove’ area of the site as it was one of the two areas sheltered and surrounded by tall pine trees – we do love spending time in woodland or forests! Our all season pitch was made up of ‘a rolled pea shingle covering over fine crushed concrete’. This gravel-style pitch meant we weren’t in danger of sliding on ice as the temperature dropped during our January stay! As our allocated pitch, number 23, is situated on the corner, we didn’t have any neighbours to one side – instead a line of trees, which we later discovered were home to many adorable rabbits! Although the pitches along this side back onto a tree line next to the main through road within the site, we weren’t bothered by any noise from passing vehicles due to how quiet the site was at this time of year. The dedicated facilities blocks for each section of the site, including Rabbits Grove, were closed during Winter months, but thankfully the main facilities block was only a stones throw away and could be reached via a cut through in the trees, lined with atmospheric string lights to show the way. If you do stay here in the Winter, be sure to pack hard-wearing shoes such as wellies as this path can get muddy in inclement weather.

Site facilities

The main facilities block backs onto the on-site restaurant and shop. This means that members of the public not staying on site are able to come through and use the toilets, though there are a handful of toilets separated from those used by campers. Still, we found this a little strange as members of the public could technically walk through to the campers’ facilities while you’re on the other side of a cubicle door taking a shower, for example!

Entering the main facilities block, the first room houses the washing up area with two sinks with pleasantly hot water for campers’ use. There’s a large board on the wall with local information, as well as notices for events in the restaurant, and the food menu. To the right of this room is the laundry, with washing machines and tumble dryers available for use – all coin operated. There are a few chairs and magazines in here to peruse while you’re waiting out the last few minutes of your laundry cycle!

Back out into the washing up area is the door leading through to the toilets and showers. There are 4 cubicles for ladies and 4 for gentlemen, each with a frosted door and small latch lock. Each cubicle has a full shower with a rain shower and a moveable shower head, as well as a toilet, sink, paper hand towels, heated towel rail and hairdryer. There’s a family bathroom for those with children, and a larger disabled bathroom too. The staff deep clean these rooms once a day – we worked out it was best to shower in the afternoon as they seemed to finish cleaning around lunchtime. As with most campsite facilities, they could probably use a little love, decor wise – one shower I tried had a leak and a limescale covered head, and as a result sprayed water in every direction, though other showers I used were functioning perfectly. Nonetheless, the facilities were always cleaned to a high standard and the steaming hot water made for a luxurious shower – with none of those irritating push buttons cutting out your water flow every few seconds!

Clippesby Hall welcomes those with four-legged friends too. There is only one camping area – Pine Woods – that is specifically a dog-free zone, and dogs must be kept on lead across the site, but guests are welcome to bring their dogs for a holiday here. On the side of the facilities block there is a dog wash area where you can rinse off muddy paws after walkies in the countryside.

Around the corner here there’s a motorhome service area with drive-over grey waste disposal, chemical disposal point, and rubbish bins. We found it odd that signs encourage you to mix recycling and rubbish in all the bins, as everything is sorted off site, but hopefully their system works well!

The restaurant that backs onto the facilities block also has a site shop, well-stocked with all the usual essentials as well as local ice cream, and Clippesby Hall branded souvenirs such as shortbread, chutneys and preserves. It’s possible to order freshly baked bread and pastries via an order form too. In the entrance of the restaurant there’s a pool table for rainy day games, and a stand packed with pamphlets for local attractions when the weather allows for day trips off site.

Clippesby Hall have a mini golf course on site, and there’s a playground and a zip wire area for entertaining little ones. A short bike trail weaves around the edge of the site, and there are bike stands at reception if you’re looking to pop in for a meal after a long bike ride. If you don’t have one of your own, bikes are available to hire from reception.

Atmosphere

We found Clippesby Hall campsite an extremely serene place to stay, though this may be attributed in part to the time of year. As our 9 day stay took place at the very beginning of January, even over the weekend we didn’t find ourselves disturbed by other campers. The pitches in the ‘Meadow’ and ‘Old Orchard’ areas of the site filled up quite quickly – we assume because of the large-sized pitches, hook up for TV aerials, and the proximity to the facilities block. Despite this we barely saw another person most days of our stay and it felt like we were residents on a private estate!

There is a private residence on site which is closed off to guests. Walking around the site to get our bearings, it wasn’t immediately obvious which areas weren’t open to guests as the signage is in the same style as those in Basecamp. After a bit of research on the Clippesby Hall website, we realised some houses we’d seen on our walk were holiday cottages belonging to the site, and not private residences.

Every member of staff we spoke to was friendly and helpful – they seemed to be busy with tasks at every moment of the day, even in Winter! But everyone took the time to speak to us and answer any questions we had with a professional manner.

Before you book

A few things to help you make the most of your stay at Clippesby Hall:

• Take the time to read about each area. Each area on site offers different perks and pitfalls, depending on what you’re looking for from your holiday. We’d personally recommend the Rabbits Grove area of the site for vans and motorhomes. Not only are these pitches more secluded than those in the Meadow which is right next to the main facilities block, and Cedar Lawn at the centre of the site, but the hard-standing pitches at Rabbit Grove paired with being fully serviced meant we enjoyed a comfortable and peaceful stay. These pitches are close enough to the main facilities block via the path through the tree line, without putting you amongst lots of other campers, and private enough with rows of tall trees separating you from the road. It is possible to ask for a specific pitch, but you would need to do so when booking otherwise you’ll be allocated a random pitch, and even so your request isn’t guaranteed to be fulfilled if the pitch is already in use.
• Phone signal across the site can be patchy. We are on the EE and O2 networks and found we could receive messages from time to time, but couldn’t load web pages without connecting to our own Wi-Fi. There is Wi-Fi available at the restaurant building, but as it is accessible to all we can’t speak on whether the connection would be reliable during busier periods.
• Visit off season. To truly appreciate all Clippesby Hall has to offer, we recommend a mid-week trip during quieter seasons. The main facilities block is open all year round, and activities such as the mini golf and zip wires are available to enjoy no matter the time of year. You’ll be able to see just how tranquil the campsite can be, and enjoy a peaceful escape in Norfolk.

While you’re in the area…

Being in the heart of the Broads National Park, there are more than a few opportunities to spend time in nature or explore local history.

• Walk to Thurne. On one sunny day during our stay, we walked a 2 hour loop from the campsite to the quaint village of Thurne. The route took us along the River Thurne, lined with picturesque water mills and house boats gently bobbing on the water. Strolling through paths flanked by long grasses and rolling flat fields synonymous with the Norfolk landscape was the perfect way to spend the day, before we looped back around to arrive at the van for a well-earned cuppa.
• Seal-spotting at Horsey Gap. Just a 20 minute drive from Clippesby Hall campsite is Horsey beach, where you can spot colonies of seals lounging on the sands. It’s possible to see seals here at any time of year, but if you want a good chance it’s best to visit around late Autumn or early Winter when there will be little pups to spot too! We walked a 11.5km loop through Horsey and down to the beach, where we stopped to admire these beautiful, sleepy animals as they huddled together in the Winter sun. It’s worth noting that the Horsey Gap car park accepts cars only – the nearest car park for larger vehicles is Sea Palling, around an hour’s walk from Horsey Gap beach. Make sure you bring snacks and wear good hiking shoes for the undulating dunes underfoot!
• Shopping in Norwich. Norwich is one of the UK’s top destinations for those itching for a spending spree, with hundreds of shops, both chain and independent. The city is also jam-packed full of culture with the castle, cathedral and medieval lanes telling the story of the city’s rich history. We love how many independent cafes there are in the city, though on our most recent visit we were saddened that one of our favourites had closed down. To ensure the survival of these cute coffee stops, make sure you support these small businesses when you visit.
• Visit Great Yarmouth. A traditional seaside resort with all the usual treasures found along a British seafront. From the Sea Life centre and the Time & Tide museum for visiting in the Winter, to the Pleasure Beach and almost 15 miles of long sandy beaches to enjoy in the Summer, there’s something for everyone!

If you’re looking for a quiet place to stay and relax in Norfolk, you’ll be hard-pressed to find somewhere more tranquil and well-equipped than Clippesby Hall! There’s enough to do on site to keep guests of all ages entertained, the site is well maintained and the facilities ample, plus the restaurant is spacious enough to provide respite from bad weather if you don’t want to be cooped up in your home on wheels – while getting a good meal too! There are hundreds of activities in the area for an idyllic getaway no matter your interests. We’ll definitely be back!